Chocolate Pudding Cakes

Allow me to let you in on a little pastry chef secret for better baking – duck eggs!

I discovered duck eggs when we found out that my son Colin was allergic to chicken eggs but could eat duck eggs with no problem.

When used for baking, duck egg – with their higher fat and protein content – produce baked goods that are richer, lighter, and fluffier. This is really excellent news for gluten-free baking, as they help produce products that are much more similar to wheat-based baked goods. They also help bind ingredients better and considerably improve texture.

Duck eggs also give superior results to custards and curds – much richer and creamier. And the meringues are out of this world!

It used to be that you had to know someone who raised ducks in order to get duck eggs but now, thanks to Nature’s Yoke, you can find them in your local grocery store. You can substitute one duck egg for every large chicken egg.

These chocolate pudding cakes show you just how fabulous baking with duck eggs can be. For a special and slightly different take, I like to top these with blood orange sorbet. But feel free to top with whipped cream, ice cream, or just eat them as is!

For entertaining, you can prepare the cakes ahead of time and refrigerate. Pop them in the oven about 25 minutes before you plan to serve dessert.